Reality

Epilogue

*Three years later*

I look up at the night sky from the clearing, although it's hard over the smoke of the fire.

Lily and Melanie are happily roasting marshmallows, laughing at jokes only they can understand.

I can't help but smile and remember that what Ethan told me  so long ago, was true.

The one sunny day after all those cloudy ones, is probably the best.

Looking back at all those cloudy days, and at what life is like now, I've never been more sure of anything else.

Ethan waves at me from the entrance of his tent as he helps Melanie put on a sweater, and I smile at how cute he is with her.

I wave back, standing up to join them.

I sit next to Ethan as his free arm finds my waist and he plants a kiss on my cheek.

"I love you," he whispers in my ear.

I grin. "I know."

"Is that all you have to say?" He laughs.

"I don't know...let me think about it," I laugh with him.

He tackles me to the floor, and Melanie is yelling at him to be nice to me, which just causes more laughter.

"What about now?" He insists, his face inches from mine.

" I love you too," I say, and I lift my face to his, so our lips are joined together.

If I didn't know that Melanie and Lily were feet away, I wouldn't have ever left this position, but sadly, I knew I had to.

Ethan stood up and gave me his hand so he could help me up, and when he did he pulled me in for another kiss.

"Ewwww," Melanie and Lily both chanted.

A smile formed on Ethan's lips as he stopped kissing me to turn his attention to them.

"You know what else is "ew"?" He whispered as he creeped up to them.

Melanie's eyes widened. "Not him!"

Ethan nodded, " Oh yeah, the big... Ugly... Monster!!!" 

Melanie jumped and she ran for her life and Ethan ran after her.

I made my way next to Lily and watched as Melanie giggled her way through the clearing and Ethan picked her up to throw her in the air and then catch her.

I'm not sure whether this is the dream, or maybe everything else was.

I hold Lily close to me and I kiss her forehead.

"You're happy," she smiles.

I nod," Of course I am."

"He's a great guy," she laughs.

"Lily you're 11, why do you sound so wise and like you're my mom?"

She laughs even more. "Because, dummy, I'm 11, not blind."

"True," I say.

Ethan makes his way back to the fire, Melanie on his back.

He puts her down and he sits next to me, sliding his hand into mine.

"I could do this every day," he tells me.

"Every day?" I ask.

He nods, smirking. "What, Ms. Archer? Scared of commitment?"

I roll my eyes. "No, but every day is a long time," I remind him.

"You act like I don't know that," he snorts.

"Every day.." I repeat.

"Wouldn't you?" He asks.

I shake my head. "It's not that, it's just that..." I sigh. "I don't want to get my hopes up."

Ethan smiles down at me. "Cath, right here and right now I'm telling you that I love you and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he stops, his deep blue eyes staring right into mine, a blonde curl falling over his forehead. "I don't have a single doubt about that."

"I... I would love to spend every day with you, because I love you," I assure him.

He nods. "Then you don't have to be so afraid of hoping and dreaming of a future together, Cath. It's here, as we speak we're  building our future together."

I smile at the certainty in his voice, he talks about us so surely that it makes it hard for me not to believe him.

"Okay," I let him convince me.

"This isn't a dream anymore, Cath, us being together, it's our reality."

He stands up, running to his tent and comes back in a few seconds.

He gestures at me to stand as he takes my left hand into his.

I look into his eyes, confused about what he's doing.

He cracks his grin, and he pulls out a ring pop, sliding it onto my finger and I can't stop laughing.

"What?" Ethan asks innocently.

I shake my head. "A ring pop," I laugh even more.

"I'm being serious right now," he says, clearly smiling.

"Okay, sorry," I try to stop smiling but I fail.

"Catherine Archer, take this ring-"

"Pop," I interrupt him, cracking up again.

"Stop," Ethan smiles. "Let me finish."

I nod in surrender.

"Catherine Archer, take this ring pop as a promise that I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever. This isn't the real thing yet, but this one is edible and just as fun," he laughs.

I look at the childish look on his face and then at the shining blue ring pop on my finger.

I laugh even more as I wrap my arms around Ethan's neck. "I love you."

He nods. "I know."